By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    medicare part d benefits
    Everything that You Need to Know About Medicare Part D
    August 15, 2022
    Best Ways to Boost Your Immune System this Winter
    Best Ways to Boost Your Immune System this Winter
    November 15, 2022
    back pain issues
    Ways to Treat Constant Back Pain
    August 21, 2023
    Latest News
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    More On Wellness Programs To Improve Health and Reduce Costs
    January 25, 2012
    Privatizing Social Security and Medicare: Who Can Defuse Political Dynamite?
    June 12, 2011
    Study: Risk of Death in Elderly Patients with Dementia Doubled with Some Antipsychotic Medications
    February 26, 2012
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Is the End of Search the Beginning of Personalized Prevention?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Is the End of Search the Beginning of Personalized Prevention?
eHealth

Is the End of Search the Beginning of Personalized Prevention?

JosephKvedar
JosephKvedar
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

This past week, Google had its annual developers conference, Google I/O.  One of the more provocative talks, called “The End of Search as We Know It,” was by Amit Singhal, who is in charge of search for Google.

This past week, Google had its annual developers conference, Google I/O.  One of the more provocative talks, called “The End of Search as We Know It,” was by Amit Singhal, who is in charge of search for Google.

The vision, as described by Amit, is that instead of typing words into a box on a website or mobile app, we will have conversations with Google, enabling a much more personalized, refined experience.  The holy grail, of course, is that Google analytics become both predictive and prescriptive, serving you content that is just right for you and anticipates your needs.

It seems there is a race on now to achieve this vision.  One could argue that Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Pandora and others are all in the same mode.  Best I can tell, the promise these companies are floating to advertisers is that their ads will be served up to that focused slice of the population that will find their product relevant in the moment.

More Read

The Healing Balm Of Sleep: Administrations Must Address Hospital Sleep Loss
The Healing Balm Of Sleep: Administrations Must Address Hospital Sleep Loss
Why I Paint on Site
Need a Therapist? Go to Your Computer
Social Media and Doctors: Q&A with Doximity CEO Jeff Tangney
Social Media, Smartphones and Sandy

If you apply this thinking to healthcare, several controversies/topics come to the fore.

Is Google competing with IBM’s Watson?  Undoubtedly yes.  On the other hand, I’m guessing Google is disenchanted with the consumer health space after the demise of its personal health record (PHR).  And IBM seems to be focused on clinician decision support.  So early in the game, with respect to healthcare anyway, maybe there is not much competition. The path for clinician decision support is clear and the market obvious, whereas the path and market for consumer health decision support are blurry.

To achieve their vision of having a conversation with you at the level of search, Google has to know lots and lots about you.  Some people are spooked by what they track now.  Will there be a way for them to track all of the other necessary data points without running afoul of the privacy lobby (see the exchange between Wally and Catbert below)?

eHealth

Can we achieve the same vision for consumer health information (i.e., make it highly personalized, motivational, caring, and eerily anticipatory)?

At the Center for Connected Health, we are banking on it.  A big part of our research agenda for the next several years will be in this area.  Current work in type 2 diabetes and cancer pain control represent a start in this area.

Perhaps the most penetrating question is whether there is an economic imperative for personalized prevention that is as compelling as the one for personalized search.  We know the economics of advertising and the ultimate goal of targeting every ad to someone who is a qualified, interested customer – someone who really views the product as a solution to their problem.

I have been thinking about the counterpart in health….it is not as clear to me.  Stated another way, why have we not managed to devote the kind of resources Google is devoting to personalized search to personalized prevention?  For instance, if I can use your genetic analysis to predict your risk for type 2 diabetes and create a uniquely motivating self management program for you, who will find that economically appealing?  You?  The government?  Your employer?  Your health plan?  Your doctor?  Its not so clear.

Of course we should all want to be healthier, but we all know how that goes. Short-term discipline for long-term reward?  It’s a tough one.  We are not as eager consumers of health information as we are information on clothes, shoes, concerts, etc.

Who else should be interested?  Payers?  Hard to imagine Aetna, United or Wellpoint competing with Google in this area.  Even though they pay for care, they are agents of employers.  I’m guessing HR executives will be more sensitive to the privacy issues than Google is.

It is a quandary.  The pay off of personalized prevention will be breathtaking – you’ll manage your own prevention and your own chronic illnesses largely without the help of a healthcare provider.  This will result in improved health as well as decreased costs.  Who should step up to the plate to build the war chest that will attract the talent from the ‘recommendation engine’ and/or financial industry?

Your thoughts?

TAGGED:Googlehealthcare data
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
Health care
July 16, 2025
a woman giving a key
How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
Health
July 16, 2025
a woman with kinesio tapes on her back arm
How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
Health care
July 16, 2025

You Might also Like

eHealthMedical Innovations

Mirror, Mirror On the Wall, Am I Healthy After All: Device Connectivity

September 27, 2012

Do’s and Dont’s for Physicians on Facebook

April 5, 2012

Back to School: An Ongoing Need for Patients

March 24, 2013
negative physician reviews
eHealthSocial Media

Physicians and Negative Online Reviews: Think Before You Sue

April 10, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?